Croquembouche

France

Also known as Croque-en-bouche, Pièce Montée

About Croquembouche

Croquembouche is a spectacular French celebration cake made of a tall cone of cream-filled choux pastry puffs held together with caramel. The name means "crunch in the mouth".

Each profiterole is filled with pastry cream and dipped in hot caramel, then stacked around a cone mold. It is often decorated with spun sugar, sugared almonds, flowers or chocolate.

The croquembouche is traditionally served at French weddings, baptisms and first communions. It became famous through the 19th-century chef Marie-Antoine Carême, known for his elaborate pastry creations.

Ingredients

• choux pastry
• pastry cream
• caramel
• sugar
• eggs
• butter
• flour